In this tour you will see:
THE GREAT ATACAMA DESERT AND ALTIPLANO
- Located in Chile's northern region, The Atacama desert is the DRIEST desert in the WORLD! Running from the Pacific Ocean to the Andes Mountains, the desert is home to virtually no one. The desert runs right into the region known as the Andean Altiplano, filled with Volcanos and highlands. This region is in contrast to the Atacama Desert, as the Altiplano varies in altitudes and some areas are as high up as 6000 feet, while the Atacama is a very dry, arid plateau region.The Altiplano region has some of the most active in the world.The highlands in this region average a height of 13,000ft above sea level, which makes for very cold temperatures, which is the opposite of the Atacama, where temperatures are usually very hot.Despite the harsh climate of the Atacama, there have been villages and civilizations to survive in the region. One big village in the Atacama is San Pedro de Atacama. It was founded in an oasis in the desert, and has a beautiful view of the volcano known as Licancaber. San Pedro de Atacama is also home of "The Valley of the Moon", which has an array of beautiful rock formations and landscapes.
PATAGONIA - Patagonia is a term used for the most southern region of South America, which is mainly comprised of Argentina. Chile is included in the Patagonia region at the most southern areas the country. Divided up into two regions by impassable mountains, the Patagonia region of Chile can only be accessed by air, or by land from Argentina. This area is known by many as "Mother Nature's Grand Finale", with its vast beautiful scenery filled with unique mountains and glaciers. The most southern points of Chile consists of big sheets of ice, similar to the climate in Antarctica. It is also the only point in the world where the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans meet via the Magallanes Strait and Cape Horn. Patagoina is not very suitable for living either, due to the extreme cold temperatures in the winter time and at night, however, Punta Arenas has emerged as one of the reigon's biggest settlements. Known as the Earth's southernmost city, Punta Arenas is loaded with diversity and has a vibrant economy. The production of menthol has proven to be a boost for the region, as well as its significant location in the trade route between the Falkland islands and Argentina. Located about 250 miles north of Punta Arenas is the mountain group known as Torres del Paine (Towers of Paine). They are uniquely shaped rocks that were formed by the forces of glaciers. These mountains are apart of the Cordillera del Paine mountain group in the Torres del Paine National Park.
SANTIAGO - Santiago, Chile is the capital of Chile, and is the country's largest city. Santiago has benefited from 20 straight years of economic growth and has implemented leading measures in urban transportation, including the underground metropolitan railway known as Santiago Metro, as well as a toll based highway that connects the two furthest points of the city in a 25 minute underground drive. The geography of Santiago makes it easy for the city to become an urban oasis. It is located in the Santiago Basin, which is a very fertile plain surrounded by the tall mountains of the Andes. The flat and fertile valley makes great farmland, and the outer mountains protect the city from natural disasters and military attack. The climate of Santiago is very favorable for population as well. The temperatures in the summer can be hot, reaching up to 95 degrees on some days. In the winter the temperatures are around 15 degrees fahrenheit, which is comfortably warm compared to the more southern parts Chile. Santiago has a population of about 5.47 million people, and is the financial center of Chile, and is one of the financial centers of the whole contenent of South America. Major companies have decided to place headquarters in the region due to the continuing growth of the Chilean economy, such as HP, Coca Cola, Ford, and Yahoo.
Pictures
Map of Chile with Cities
Atacama Desert
Altiplano Volcano
Patagonian Mountains in Chile
More Patagonian Mountains in Chile
The Names and Stats of Some Patagoinan Mountains in Chile
San Pedro de Atacama Church
The Valley of the Moon
Punta Arenas
Arieal View of Punta Arenas
Torres del Paine
Santiago, Chile
Santiago Satellite Pitcure
Santiago at Night
